Diaphragm for controlling valves.



' No. 816,455. I PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

I L. B. FULTON.

DIAPHRAGM FOR CONTROLLING VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I, 1904.

wammw A A I movable in a lower pressure chamber or cylof an lmperforate cup-that is to say, the

burrito STATES PATENT ermon.

LOUIS B. FULTON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHAPLIN-FULTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

' DIAPHRAGM. FOR CONTROLLING VALVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 1906.

' A li ation fil 'd March 1, 1904. serial No. 196,006.

all whom it may concern; Be it known: that I, Louis-B. FULTON, of -;Pittsburg, in the county'of Allegheny-and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Diaphragms foi-j Controlling Valves; and I do hereby de- -elare the following to be a full, clear, and ex- "aet description of the invention, such as will efiable others skilled in the art to which it aprp pertains to make and use the same.

LItis well known that in the use of controller-valves, ump-governors, 8110., wherein 'avalve or' va ves are to be moved under counter pressures, better results are obrimmed by emplloying a diaphragm against bears a ead or piston-like end of the valve-rod, since the parts are thereby capable of b'eing more freely moved-than is the case with tight-fitting. pistons. The principal 'oobjection to a diaphragm is that it cansel- .dom stand 'much usage, since it is liable to break or become unctured. Then, again, considerable troub e is involved and time re- .iiuired in replacing a damaged diaphragm.

The object of my invention is'to enable a diaphragm obviating these objections to be employed'in connection with a pump-governor.

- The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows my mvention as employed with a pump governor. Fig. 2 is a view of the chair." I In Fig; 1 I have shown my improved diaphragm as employed in connection with a pump-governor, which, as is well known,

- com rises 'a balanced valve- 1, from which depen 3 a rod 2, having a piston-like head 3,

inder 4-. In lieu of providing a "diaphragm dexible across the area of the head and secured at its edges between the parts of the cylinder I'employ a diaphragm 5 in the form diaphragm bears directly against the head 3, when pressure is admitted beneath the diaphragm, and is formed with a cylindrical portion 6, which fits snug against the wall of cyl- -inder 4. This diaphragm is made of a rubber composition known as paranite,. the flexibility of which issuch that under pressure the cylindrical portion of the diaphragm will expand uniformly at every point and fit snug against the wall of the cylinder and yet permit the piston-like head to freely move when the unseating pressure exceeds that by which the valve is normally held closed. No securing or retaining means being required, the diaphragm is free of all holes oropenings, the presence of which tends to impair the usefulness of the diaphragm, since thereby steam or water may get between the latter and the piston-like head. I

7 designates a protecting-chair which is of substantially the same form as the cupped diaphra m, but on a smaller scale, so as to fit snugly t herein; but it is not secured thereto. This chair is equipped with lugs 8, extending slightly beyond the lower edge of the diaphragm, so that when pressure forces the piston-like head 3 downward, carrying with it the diaphragm, the seating will be on these lugs. Thereby I am enabled to prevent any rupture of the diaphragm or escapement of pressure consequent upon any disengagement between the'wall of the diaphragm and the inclosing cylinder. To allow the pressure to expand the circular wall of the diaphragm, and thereby make close contact, the circular wall of the chair is formed with a continuous annular opening 9. This sustainingrchair is necessary in pump governors, since on the admission of steam, there being no corresponding balancingressure on the other side, the cup natural y descends to the bottom. After Lhe proper pressure is restored through the governor the diaphragm will of course perform its ordinary functions independently of the chair. Although I- have shown the chair within the diaphragm in Fig. I, it may rest on the bottom of the cylinder, it being suflicient if the chair is concentric with the interior of the diaphragm, so that the latter will rest thereon when at its lowest point of travel.

The advantages of my invention are apparobvious that should the diaphragm become worn or injured it may be readily removedent from what has been herein stated. It is,

a piston-like head movable therein, of a freely-movable cup-shaped imperforate diaphragm in said cylinder, and means concentric with but not secured to the diaphragm for protecting the same from engagement with the end of said cylinder.

2. The combination with a cylinder having a pistondike head movable therein, of a diaphragm bearing against but not secured to such head and having a cylindrical portion fitted against the wall of the cylinder, and a chair concentric with the interior of such diaphragm and having a portion or portions designed to project beyond the outer edge of the latter when the chair is within the dia phragm, as set forth. I

3. The combination with a cylinder having witnesses.

I LOUIS B. FULTON. Witnesses? L. B. D. REESE, ALioE E. DUFF. 

